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Back Whirlwind Save as PDF
Chapters (95)
  1. Title Page
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. 3
  5. 4
  6. 5
  7. 6
  8. 7
  9. 8
  10. 9
  11. 10
  12. 11
  13. 12
  14. 13
  15. 14
  16. 15
  17. 16
  18. 17
  19. 18
  20. 19
  21. 20
  22. 21
  23. 22
  24. 23
  25. 24
  26. 25
  27. 26
  28. 27
  29. 28
  30. 29
  31. 30
  32. 31
  33. 32
  34. 33
  35. 34
  36. 35
  37. 36
  38. 37
  39. 38
  40. 39
  41. 40
  42. 41
  43. 42
  44. 43
  45. 44
  46. 45
  47. 46
  48. 47
  49. 48
  50. 49
  51. 50
  52. 51
  53. 52
  54. 53
  55. 54
  56. 55
  57. 56
  58. 57
  59. 58
  60. 59
  61. 60
  62. 61
  63. 62
  64. 63
  65. 64
  66. 65
  67. 66
  68. 67
  69. 68
  70. 69
  71. 70
  72. 71
  73. 72
  74. 73
  75. 74
  76. 75
  77. 76
  78. 77
  79. 78
  80. 79
  81. 80
  82. 81
  83. 82
  84. 83
  85. 84
  86. 85
  87. 86
  88. 87
  89. 88
  90. 89
  91. 90
  92. 91
  93. 92
  94. Also by DAVID KLASS
  95. Copyright Page

P.J. nods and kisses me back. “Okay,” she whispers. “That’s what I want, too.” She’s quiet for a few seconds, mulling it over. “But what if they don’t let you go? From what you’ve told me, you’re caught between two worlds. And even if this is the one you grew up in and are comfortable with, you’re really one of them. Your parents are alive in the future. And your enemies, too. You were born into their struggle. You’re of their time.”

I look back into her worried face and words fail me. I glance down and end up staring at my father’s watch. The blue hands glint on the white background.

I take the watch off my wrist and fling it far out over the dark river. It gleams when it hits the water, and then it quickly sinks out of sight.

“What did you do that for?” P.J. asks. “Didn’t that come from your father?”

“Yup. But I’m no longer operating on his time.” I hold her even tighter. “Look, I hope we helped save this incredible rain forest, and protect the atmosphere. I think we might have done some good to planet Earth, and improved the chances for future generations. But as far as I’m concerned, it’s finished now. My connection to them and their time is sinking to the bottom of this river. Right now all I want is to live my life, my own insignificant Jack Danielson life, with you.”

She looks back at me, and I see all the suffering and trauma she’s been through. She’s a different person from the happy-go-lucky girl I fell in love with back in Hadley. “Do you think that’s at all realistic, Jack?”

“Sure,” I say.

She looks incredulous but cautiously hopeful. “Okay. Where do we start?”

“I’m going to start with a hamburger,” I tell her. “For you, I recommend a long soak in a hot tub.”

P.J. looks back at me for several long seconds, and I think she’s going to cry. A tear slides down her cheek, but then the corners of her mouth tilt upward into a brave smile. “Bozo,” she whispers, “you got yourself a deal.”

I take her hand, and we motor on down the river. As we come to a wide bend, I glance back.

The spot where I dropped my father’s watch is now illuminated by an eerie blue glow. It seems to spread out, lighting the palms on either bank. As we speed away from it, it reaches out across our rippling wake and touches me.